Inspiring therapist wants to highlight UK suicide problem

OWN YOUR LIFE: Nisha Zala wants people to release negativity from their life and step into their own power

“You’re not alone”

Nisha Zala, from Essex, is reaching out to Asian Express readers who are currently experiencing - or have experienced - mental health issues.

As a Mindset and Human Behaviour Expert, Nisha can help individuals overcome any emotional issue that a person may go through.

The softly-spoken 34-year-old said: “My message to the world is that we need people to step into their own power, move away from negativity and plunge into the positive. It’s important to have ownership of your life.”

Nisha wants to use her own story as an example as she has battled depression throughout her life.

She was just five-years-old when she was first forced to come to grips with the adversities of life. At school she was bullied for ‘being a different colour’ and at home she was a middle child who sometimes felt overlooked by her parents.

The hardships she suffered led her to undertake a voyage of self-discovery before she had even reached double figures in age.

Born into a Hindu family, Nisha never completely understood the myths surrounding her religion.

She said: “As a British Asian, you live in a British community and then you go home and connect with your Indian roots; and this confusing dichotomy made it hard for me to understand what exactly my identity was.”

Nisha was abused as a young girl, which led her to become self-destructive and took her down paths she would not have ordinarily taken.

“I ended up getting in very dangerous situations,” she said.

Despite her trials and tribulations, Nisha managed to secure a place at the University of Greenwich and graduated with a high 2:1.

“I questioned the nine-to-five life and I always asked myself: ‘What am I doing here?’ I am a person who ponders the meaning of life. I went into different types of works to discover what my purpose was.”

Nisha was seven when she first experienced depression and began self-harming.

When she was 17, she often used to faint and suffer from panic attacks.

However, Nisha has managed to control her anxiety through techniques such as making sure she works on her self-worth and exercising her thoughts - ‘treating them like a gym work-out’.

Nisha said: “The more you work-out the mind, the bigger the muscles get and in return your limitations will begin to get weaker.

“If you actively become positive in your thoughts, the muscles will begin working for you. Ultimately, it’s important to balance your mind, body and soul.”

“Surround yourself with positive people and eliminate any negativity from your life,” Nisha advises, “whilst also taking responsibility for your own decisions.”

Nisha is keen to highlight how many suicides there are in today’s society. She wants to guide people so they know there are other choices rather than ending your life and that there is a way out of the darkness.

The Office for National Statistics has released figures saying that 98 children under 15 killed themselves in the UK from 2005 to 2014 and the Guardian reported that 1,000 extra deaths and an additional 30-40,000 suicide attempts may have occurred after the economic downturn that happened in 2008-2010.

Nisha said: “It takes small steps but we can do it together. You’re not alone.”

If this article has affected you, Nisha’s website can be found at www.nishazala.com or you can ring the Samaritans for free on 116 123